Chapter Twenty-Five

Luke and Palpatine

"Daddy. Want Daddy," Young Luke screamed at the scary old man.

"You father doesn't want you, son," Palpatine said. "Why do you think he left you with your uncle and aunt? He went all over the galaxy saving everyone but you.

"But he was there for my birthday."

"He didn't stay did he? He left you, didn't even stay the night with his own son. Do you call that a father's concern? A father's love?"

Luke didn't know. "But Daddy gave me his weapons. He gave me a Jedi weapon. Daddy gave me his light saber."

"I knew your father when he was young," Palpatine said, remembering. "Your father was a natural mechanic. Whenever he wasn't practicing his light saber techniques, and he was very good, great, even, he was doing something mechanical. That droid was your father's creation, no doubt. He told me about him. Like I was saying, he made many light sabers so giving one to you was nothing. You are nothing to him. You are everything to me."

"Truly?" Luke asked, he had never felt special with Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen.

"Do you know who I am Luke?"

Luke wasn't sure. So he shrugged his shoulders. "Bad man."

"I am the Emperor of the Galactic Empire. I was once the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. You can call me Palpatine. Your father did. I am not a bad man, Luke. You will find that bad and good is merely a point of view. The Jedi and the Sith are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power." Palpatine watched the young boy. He was five years old, still very young, but old enough. Palpatine had a new plan. This child would be the death of the beloved Chosen One. It was perfect. When Palpatine was through with Anakin, he was going to wish he had never defied the Jedi Order and married Senator Amidala. He would be sorry he had ever had a son. This child was very powerful indeed. Not as powerful as the Jedi Chosen One, but powerful enough. Besides, this child would not have the flaw of compassion.

"Greater Power?" Luke asked intrigued. "Like this?" he asked moving the Emperor's desk off the ground.

Palpatine was glad that the child was picking up so quickly. "I can teach you how to duel with a light saber. Would you like to learn, Luke?"

"Daddy said he would teach me," he said.

"Words are feeble, Luke. When did he stay around long enough to really know you? I fear that your father was afraid of you, of your power," he said, almost the same words he had said to his father. He had failed then. He would not fail again. Perhaps, he hadn't started with Anakin soon enough. Anakin had been nine, this child was five. "Did you know that Jedi used to kidnap children from their parents? Just because they were force-sensitive. The Empire isn't like that. I have informed your father where you are," Palpatine lied. "If he wants you, he's welcome to come get you. But he hasn't come, has he, Luke?"

Luke shook his head miserably. "What about Leia?" he asked.

Palpatine had no clue who Leia was. "Who is Leia?"

"My sister."

The Emperor hadn't known of a sister's existence. This would prove to be most effective. It would further take Luke away from his parents. Away from Anakin. He would prove to the child that Anakin only cared for his sister. A dark smile spread across the Emperor's face. "Let's make you at home," he said, leading the child to a bedroom. "Go on, jump on the bed," he prompted the child.

"Aunt Beru says, 'Luke don't jump on the bed. Dangerous." Luke said.

"She's afraid of the fun you will have," the Emperor said. Luke got up and jumped on the bed, laughing as he did so. "See, you're not hurt are you. Do anything you want. The Empire is yours, my son," he said, pleased at the boy's reaction.

"Let me teach you the Sith philosophy, as soon as you learn it. I will begin training you with your light saber. Your training will be complete when you build your own light saber," the Emperor began. "My grandfather was a Sith. The Jedi's murdered the Sith. It was cold-blooded murder. Your 'uncle' Obi Wan Kenobi was among these. He taught your poor misguided father. Repeat after me, Luke." The child stopped jumping and sat down, looking up at him.

The Emperor began his lessons, "Peace is a lie, and there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The force shall set me free."

The boy tried repeating it, and got most of it right. Palpatine sat down and the boy climbed into his lap. Palpatine winced and then grinned. If Anakin could see his son now. The Emperor got up and told the boy, "May the force serve you well." It was the equivalent to the Jedi's 'May the Force be with you.' If Anakin got his son back, he would know that saying, Palpatine thought cruelly.

"May the Force serve you well," Luke repeated awfully proud of himself. "Sir, what shall I call you?" he asked.

Palpatine had to laugh. This was almost too easy. "Call me…master." The boy looked confused. "Have you ever heard your father call Obi-Wan master?" he asked. The boy nodded. "It's because Obi-Wan trained him. I will train you, so I will be your master." The boy looked…grateful.

"May the force serve you well, Master," Luke said looking proud.

"Leia." Luke called through the force.

"Luke. Where are you?"

"I'm with my master."

"Silly, Luke, you don't have a master. Daddy's going to teach me. He promised. But I got in trouble so I have to do kitchen duty."

"Where are you?"

"Luke, you egghead. I just told you I'm with our real Mommy and Daddy. There's a nice boy named Hans Solo. It's why I'm on kitchen duty. I used the force to find out things about him and Daddy caught me. Luke when are you coming home? Daddy's building a house just for us."

"Not for me. I'll come home just as soon as Daddy wants me."

"Daddy wants you. He's wonderful."

"To you."

"Luke, you are so stupid." Leia lost the connection. Why did he feel so weird? What did he mean about being with his master? she wondered.

Luke went to go find his master. "I'm here to see the Emperor," he informed one of the Clone Troopers. Soon his master appeared.

"What is it, Luke?"

"I've spoke to my sister."

"Go on. Tell me, Luke."

"Daddy has her. He's going to teach her the ways of the force," Luke replied. "She got in trouble for using her powers."

"You will never get in trouble for using yours. You see what I told you was true. They love her, that's why they got her. Your father simply doesn't want you."

"Daddy's building a house."

"Luke, I think it would be easier for you to refer to him as Anakin. He's too busy helping your mother and your sister to come after you. If I were your father I wouldn't let you go. Your father gave you to me, shortly after you were born. So, you see he didn't want you then."

"Why?" Luke said in a small voice as tears of frustration crept into his face.

"He came after you because your mother wanted you. At least until she saw you. Then she wished she hadn't. She was dieing when your father went to retrieve you. I can prove it to you. He tried to kill me, you know."

Luke wanted his father to hurt as he was hurting. Why only his master wanted him. He would talk to his sister, he would find out the best way to hurt his father, and he would hurt more than Luke ever hurt.

Palpatine could feel the boy's thoughts and he smiled. "We will begin training with the light saber tomorrow, my young sith."

"Yes, Master," Luke replied.